


Remember

by SherlockianGirl14



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), captain america: the winter soldier - Fandom
Genre: Acceptance (modern), And More Fluff, Angst, Announcement, Awkward, Awkward Steve, Bisexual, Curious Thor, Dancing, F/M, Fluff, Fondue, Gay, Harry James - Freeform, Homophobia (old), I promise, I'd watch that, Instead of curious George, It should be Curious Thor, Jazz - Freeform, M/M, Memories, Mjolnir - Freeform, Music, New SHIELD, Photos, Post-Winter Soldier, Pregnant, S.H.I.E.L.D., Star-Spangled man, Stucky - Freeform, Teaching to dance, That should be a kids TV show, anyway, because i'm evil, but it gets better, cliffhanger in chapter 5, furys are friends not foes, good job Steve, i like babies okay, in chapter 3, in some ways, ish, kiss, more memories, natasha is a pyjama fashion guru, seriously, sometimes, this is quite cute actually, wow Steve
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-04-18
Updated: 2014-05-06
Packaged: 2018-01-19 22:30:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,715
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1486456
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SherlockianGirl14/pseuds/SherlockianGirl14
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It was all coming back to Bucky now. The memories came in random orders. They were often obscure- occasionally, Steve himself needed Bucky's reminder in order to recall them. And Bucky still hadn't remembered the most important thing. </p><p>But he would. In time.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Harry James was both Bucky and Steve's favourite artist. From the 1940's, that was (these days, they disagreed on the best music a bit more). The other avengers had bought Steve an iPod full of tracks from his day when he was found on the beach. And when Bucky had joined them, it had become his, too.

Of course, he could just get his own. They could buy him one. But he liked sharing it with Steve- it gave him comfort. So the others, by silent rule, didn't suggest he got his own. Steve acted like he didn't mind, but they knew that wasn't true- he didn't just not mind, he loved it.

Besides, if they were listening together, they were less likely to force the others to listen.

In Stark towers, things could sometimes get a bit crowded, for both of them. And it was just so very _modern._ Sometimes, they needed to shut themselves away with music from the forties and just pretend they were back there.

Sometimes.

They had jazz on there too, which they listened too almost as often as Harry James.

That's what they were doing that day.

Aside from Sam (who, alongside Bucky, was a new recruit for the team of Avengers) and Natasha, none of the others were there that day. Thor was... Doing whatever Thor did when he was in Asgard. Bruce was visiting India, where he had been working before being recruited. Tony was away with Pepper. Clint was training someplace- not that he needed it. Even Fury was 100% unlikely to stop by- he was spending every day of his life at the moment building some new S.H.I.E.L.D.- one with a different name, and that wasn't infested by Hydra, of course.

They were lucky that there hadn't been any real trouble recently- certainly nothing the other agents couldn't sort out. Steve wouldn't dare voice it, but he had no idea what would happen if something big came along- most of them were spread across the globe and those who weren't had two new avengers to break in.

Sam was fine. He'd been here before- okay, maybe not _here,_ in Avengers' Tower, but he'd worked as a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent. He was getting back into things easily and had proved he could handle it by helping them already on such a huge mission.

Bucky, however...

Bucky was fragile. At times temperamental. He'd have nightmares almost every night. Despite the fact that he had been appointed a bedroom almost immediately, he slept in Steve's room, in Steve's bed. And not even Tony made comments about it, because everyone knew how tough things were for both Steve and Bucky, particularly in those times.

Sometimes, Bucky would go back into The Winter Soldier mode. He didn't as such attack anyone, but he simply forgot who everyone was, and started asking for missions or offering mission reports. He thought they were the ones doing it to him in those times and it broke Steve's heart more than Bucky attacking him ever could.

Steve had no idea how Bucky would respond to an actual mission, actual combat. He was terrified that it would regress him, turn him back into The Winter Soldier. He couldn't let that happen. He hadn't even remembered everything yet.

So for now, Steve was glad they were able to take it slowly. Listen to music they both loved. Eat their old favourite foods. Go to places they went before, do things they used to do. Dance.

Laugh.

Doing this things brought the memories back to Bucky, and whenever he remembered anything it was a joy to Steve. Bucky's face would light up like a little kid and he'd run to Steve.

“Steve! I- I remember. We were kids. Sitting on the steps outside your house after Church on a Sunday, eating ice cream. I never believed what they said in the services and I'd always try and make you laugh. You told me I was being disrespectful every time but I didn't stop doing it. You secretly found it funny.”

“Steve! When we were nineteen, you had a date. You were going to take a girl dancing with me and double date- I was seeing a girl called Linda. But I upset her and she didn't want to go, so I spent the night pestering you and the girl- Helen. She ended up dancing with me. I'm sorry about that, Steve.”

“Steve! At the lake when we were twelve! You, me and Russell, Barbara, Dale. I threw Russell in the lake fully clothed and when he got out again he knew he couldn't throw _me_ in, so he pushed you, instead. You started choking. I pulled you out and punched him in the face and you laughed and said that by that logic, I should be punched too. So I said 'go on then', and you pulled yourself up off the ground and tapped my nose as gentle as you could, then helped Russell up.”

The memories came in random orders. They were often obscure- occasionally, Steve himself needed Bucky's reminder in order to recall them. And Bucky still hadn't remembered the most important thing. But he would. In time.

For now, they'd continue to have days like this. They were sat on the couch flicking through old photos- anything Steve had been able to get his hands on that showed some aspect of Bucky's life- and listening to the iPod playlist titled 'Jazz'. Every so often, Steve would pause from the photos to say something like “you loved this song.” More often, he let Bucky remember for himself.

“What the hell is this?” Steve glanced up as he heard a teasing male voice from the doorway. Sam stood there, looking sleepy (despite the fact that it was eleven o'clock in the morning), frowning slightly but grinning more. “The old men listening to their tunes?”

Steve chuckled slightly, clearing photos from a chair and sweeping them onto the coffee table so that Sam could sit down.

Just then, the bathroom door opened. Natasha had been taking a shower, and Sam and Bucky both raised their eyebrows as steam flooded into the hall. Steve looked uncomfortable at the sight of Natasha wearing just a towel- and not exactly the world's largest towel, either.

“Are we having a Lets-Embarrass-Steve session? I'll be out in five minutes...” she smirks, disappearing into her room.

“Right, like you can get dressed in five minutes, Romanoff!” Bucky called back, his tone teasing, a grin spread across his face. Steve looked at him, surprised. Bucky was usually so reserved with the other avengers, even Natasha, who he'd instantly liked. The only exception was Sam, who he could occasionally joke with (and Steve, of course).

“I'm a spy, Barnes, I think I'll manage!”

“You were a woman before you were a spy, though,” Bucky teased, earning a high-five from Sam, before he added, more seriously, “Although I don't doubt you can do anything you set your mind to.”

“Is that a compliment I hear, Barnes,” Natasha asked, sauntering from her room calmly in black skinny jeans and a tank top, her hair loose and tousled, still wet but no longer dripping.

“One minute three seconds,” Steve smiled.

“Not bad...” Sam added.

Natasha leant over and picked up a photograph from the messy stack, holding back a laugh. She turned it round to show Steve.

“So this was you before you became all God Bless America?” she grinned.

“Yes, that was me before the serum,” Steve sighed, rolling his eyes but laughing internally. He handed Bucky a picture.

“Steve, that was the guy who gave you the place in the army, gave you the treatment. We were sort of arguing- I'd tried to set you up with someone- still apologising for Helen years later- but she'd ignored you, then we'd had a bit of an argument about you joining. He was there. Next time I see him he's yelling that there's a grenade and everyone runs except you. You throw yourself over it, determined to save as many of us as possible, even if it sacrifices you. He threw it, fake grenade, to check you were the One,” Bucky looks pleased with himself. “I never saw him after you were given the serum, though...”

“Yeah,” Steve said quietly. “Someone shot him. A couple of minutes after I was given the serum.”

“Oh,” Bucky muttered back, placing the photo more carefully, aligning it with the edge of the table and away from the mess of the other pictures. Steve smiled gratefully.

“So, on more cheerful thoughts, you mentioned dancing, right?” Sam smiled over-enthusiastically, sensing the need for something to be said to break the silence. “What kind of dancing did you do, though I'm almost afraid to ask?”

“Well-” Steve began, before Bucky interrupted.

“Why don't we teach you?” he offered enthusiastically. “It's really not that hard, I promise...”

“Can you remember, Buck?” Steve asked doubtfully, hopeful that Bucky could. He'd never mentioned knowing _how_ to dance, although occasionally there were things he remembered without actively noticing he knew them.

“Sure I can. Nat?” Bucky offered, standing up and extending his metal arm towards the red-haired woman, who took it as though there was nothing strange at all, earning a nod from Steve.

“Guess I'm stuck with you them,” Sam joked as he got up. Steve chuckled as he mimicked Bucky and Natasha.

“Right...” Bucky muttered, his tongue sticking out slightly in concentration.

 


	2. Chapter 2

Bucky held the iPod in one hand, smirking slightly. Steve glanced over at him, raising an eyebrow questioningly. He put the juice back in the fridge and walked round to join Bucky where he was seated at the breakfast bar, handing him a glass.

“Well?” Steve asked, sitting down on one of the stools. Bucky just smirked back.

“This is amazing-”

“What is?”

“This is beautiful, Stevie. Why did I not ever get to hear this?”

“Hear what?”

“God, why was I away when you came and performed to the army. Damn Hydra- not only did they do all that stuff to me...” -Bucky's tone was serious for a moment- “But they stopped me from seeing this live too.”

“Give me that,” Steve muttered, catching on. Everyone was back at the tower now and there was no way in hell he was letting them hear this. “Give me the iPod, Buck!”

“No way! Hey, everyone!” Bucky called out confidently. He was getting so much better so quickly. It was good to have the old Bucky's confidence back with him.

Apart from at moments like this.

“It's not important!” Steve insisted, turning slightly red.

“You know, Steve, you're face alone is telling me I have to hear this,” Tony commented, dragging a stool round as the other avengers did the same.

“Definitely,” Natasha added.

“Well, Bucky? What is it?” Clint asked, sounding mildly bored.

Bucky rolled his eyes and responded by pressing 'play' rather than answering.

The song began to play, the song from Steve's past on-stage, before anyone would take him seriously and oh God, they were going to mock him for this for weeks, and Bucky was lucky to be alive right now.

 

_Who's strong and brave, here to save the American way?_

_Who vows to fight like a man for what's right night and day?_

_Who will campaign door-to-door for America,_

_Carry the flag shore-to-shore for America,_

_From Hoboken to Spokane,_

_The Star-Spangled man with a plan!_

 

“Oh my God,” Natasha breathed, trying to hold back her gleeful laughter.

“He actually performed this. On stage. To live audiences,” Bucky muttered to the group out of the corner of his mouth, smirking proudly at his find.

“Well, Running Man, you never mentioned that, did ya?” Sam grinned.

 

_We can't ignore there's a threat and a war we must win,_

_Who'll hang a noose on the goose-stepping goons from Berlin?_

_Who will redeem, head the call for America?_

_Who'll rise or fall, give his all for America?_

_Who's here to prove that we can?_

_The Star-Spangled man with a plan!_

 

“It's too good,” Sam declared. “It is, it's actually too good to be true.”

“Shh, I don't think the song's over yet,” Bruce muttered to him, smiling sympathetically at Steve as he did so. _Yeah thanks, pal,_ Steve thought to himself.

 

_Stalwart and steady and true,_

_(see how this guy can shoot, we tell you, there's no substitute!)_

_Forceful and ready to defend the_

_Red, white and blue!_

_Who'll give the Axis the sack, and is smart as a fox?_

_(far as an eagle will soar!)_

_Who's making Adolph afraid to step out of his box?  
(he knows what we're fighting for!)_

_Who woke the giant that napped in America,_

_We know it's no-one but Captain America,_

_Who'll finish what they began?_

_Who'll kick the krauts to Japan?_

_The star-spangled man with a plan!_

_(who's strong and brave, here to save the American way?!)_

 

“The music on Midgard is most strange,” Thor muses, “But I have to say it is enjoyable.”

“Oh buddy, that's like, what, seventy years old? We don't do music like that any more,” Natasha says almost sympathetically.

“Seventy years is the blink of an eye in the lifetime of an Asgardian. And your most recent music is still very different to that of Asgard.”

“I never saw you as a music man, Rogers,” Sam grinned at him lop-sidedly as he spoke, no doubt thinking about playing 'Trouble Man' in Steve's hospital room.

“Steve, you actually performed that? On stage?” Clint asks, the only avenger not even attempting to mask his laughter.

“Whilst my father was up there showing them the latest Stark technology, you were singing show tunes?” Tony teases incredulously, and Steve notices Bucky shifting, slightly uncomfortable, at the mention of Howard Stark. Steve remembers that he was one of The Winter Soldier's victims and places a reassuring hand on Bucky's soldier, mouthing 'that wasn't you, Buck'.

“at least it gave people hope, y'know? Those people listening needed something like that. Even a little song and dance act would have reassured them a whole lot more than war jargon, I bet,” Bruce said kindly, and Steve was surprised to see the others nodding in unanimous agreement with his words.

“I-” he blushed, tripping on his words slightly. “I'm glad you think that. Back then, I just thought I was being made to do it so they didn't have to find anything for me- well, I was-, and that the crowds were just... Taking the piss,” he admitted.

“Not at all, Steve,” Natasha insisted. “You gave those people hope.”

“I agree. A celebration, a show, some sort of party, after any battle my brother's actions initiated... It was far above most other things in providing merriment.”

“Let's hear it for Captain America!” Bucky announces, and Steve knows then that he's remembered the trek back from the Hydra base with their armies, his deceleration to the crowds of soldiers, the cheers that went on for an age and then rung in Steve's ears for even longer somehow. Tony lifted a glass of champagne Steve hadn't noticed (really, Tony? It's only 2pm!) in toast and Thor cheered heartily, whilst Clint clapped Steve on the back and Natasha nodded to him and Bruce smiled shyly at him and Sam grinned and tipped his head and winked.

“Hey, guys, come on! I'm not the only one here's who's saved people and given them hope. Let's hear it for The Avengers!” he yelled the last sentence and the whole group cheered (although Sam looked a little uncomfortable)... Apart from Bucky.

“Look, pal, that guy wasn't you. I have another side to me too, right? The Other Man was my enemy most of my life. I have more control of him than ever before, but He can still get out of hand. But listen, Bucky, because the Winter Soldier was not you. He was a brainwashed creation, you had no control over anything. And maybe you haven't saved lives alongside us just yet, but you will. In time. And don't you dare tell me you've never saved anyone because you fought in that war alongside Steve and you helped save America- and the world- too. So let's hear it for The Avengers, okay, and that includes you.”

And that time, the whole group cheered, even Bucky, but they were cheering for him. Steve nudged his friend and nodded as if to say _yes, Bruce is right, you are_ amazing, _Bucky,_ and cheered even louder than the rest.

And just as the other avengers were quieting down, Steve saw that look on Bucky's face that said that he'd remembered something.

“Steve,” Bucky muttered, leaning over. “Can I talk to you about something? Alone?”

“Yeah, of course you can, Buck,” Steve replied, his pulse quickening. _Please say he's remembered it, please say he has._

Steve shrugged to the others and let himself be led away. He frowned, though, seeing Bucky look upset... And... _Scared._

“Steve,” Bucky said, shutting the door to his bedroom. “I- I remembered something, Steve. I think I told you. I think I did. In the 40s. But I can't remember what you said- hell, I have no idea why it was I told you! But I think I was calm telling you so I'm going to tell you now that I've remembered, and please don't tell anyone and please don't be mad...”

“Bucky. It's okay. Calm down. Tell me. I won't be mad at you. I promise,” Steve said gently, already knowing what Bucky was going to say. Already knowing he hadn't remembered what had initially prompted him to say it.

Or what had followed.

“I- I think I like- I like both- both men and women, Steve. So I'm not okay. I'm disgusting. Look at me. Look me in the eye and tell me I'm not disgusting, Steve,” Bucky said fearfully.

“Your not disgusting, Bucky,” Steve said, his hand on Bucky's chin, tilting it up to look at him. “You're not. You're not. Don't say you are again, because you are amazing. Beautiful. Fantastic. Perfect. You are not disgusting, James Buchanan Barnes. You are _not._ ”

“But, Steve...” Bucky said, his eyes shining with tears. “It's illegal. And people hate you if you're gay or bisexual or anything like that. People say it's wrong. They must be right, Steve,” Bucky said and Steve had to remind himself that Bucky didn't know any better, that this was about Bucky not him, that he didn't know the world today.

“Things are different now, Buck. It's allowed. A lot of States have legalized gay marriage. There are more than eight million openly gay or bi people in America, you know, pal? People are more accepting. They just want you to be yourself, a lot of the time. There are very few people out there who think it's wrong, pal.”

“Steve- really? Are you sure? Your telling the truth?” Bucky asked, his sadness turning to a barely contained grin.

“Yes, Bucky, I'm telling the truth,” Steve smiled, and watched his friend spring from the bed, a mix between a puppy and a kid at Christmas, to throw his arms around Steve's neck.

Steve wishes he would just _remember._


	3. Chapter 3

Bucky didn't seem himself today. It wasn't that he was worried about what they'd talked about- that was over a week ago now, and they'd told the others yesterday. Bucky had still been nervous about actually putting people's acceptance to practise, but he was pleasantly surprised by their reaction.

So no, it wasn't that. What Steve knew it was most likely to be was that Bucky had regained memories of his lifetime as the Winter Soldier (for that's what Steve thought of it as: another lifetime, controlled by evil and without any choices to make, questions to answer, just orders that there was no way to say no to).

So Steve called aside Bruce and Sam from the group and went to see Bucky. Bruce, for The Other Guy (and, of course, his little speech a week ago). Sam, for his experience with PTSD and time spent counselling ex-soldiers. Of course, none of those had been brainwashed super-soldiers with kill missions on people who hadn't even done anything wrong yet, but he'd have to do.

“Bucky?” Steve muttered gently, knocking on his friend's bedroom door (because he'd only left his room once that day, and that was at lunch-time, to grab two slices of pizza from the fridge and quietly answer 'yes' when Steve asked if he was okay). He held a couple of bags of chips (salt and vinegar, Bucky's favourite) and a glass of lemonade in the other hand.

“Yeah?” Bucky called back, clearly doing his best to sound casual. Failing catastrophically.

“Can we come in?” Steve asked.

“Why?” Bucky replied.

“You seem down.”

“No. I'm okay.”

“Oh, come on, Buck,” Steve sighed. “Your not and that's okay. We can help you. Have you remembered something?”

“Yeah,” Bucky replied quietly and opened the door.

“Okay, Buck. That's okay. What have you remembered?” Steve asked gently, walking in and sitting on the edge of Bucky's bed, while nodding at the others to sit on the sofa against his friend's wall. Bucky, however, immediately grabbed Steve by the collar and pulled him up from the bed and shoved him roughly towards the chair.

“You sit with them, alright? Not near me,” Bucky snapped, but then his voice cracked. “It's for your own good.”

“Bucky,” Steve said gently. “It's okay, Buck. Did you remember what they made you do?”

Steve had been glad for the times Bucky got wiped for one reason- he was unable to remember all the things he'd done before the last time he was wiped. Every time, he was a blank canvas. Sure, of course Bucky would remember everything since the last time, but that just happened to have involved only one mission- involving the day on the planes, the day Bucky remembered and abandoned his mission and saved Steve's life.

But the drawback to this was that Bucky would also remember the bad in waves, just like the good. They'd been lucky, so far. Bucky had got back most of his childhood, a lot of his teens, some of his army life- it'd been full of 'that-time-when' and laughing about old times and inside jokes the others needed to be 70 years older to get.

But...

But now, Bucky's clearly remembered the bad things he did, when he was The Soldier. When he wasn't himself.

“I did it. Steve, the Winter Soldier is me and I am him. We're the same person. I was strong enough to stop them all but I didn't.”

“No, man. You're no match for the whole of Hydra. Don't tell yourself you could have done. There was no way it could have happened. Don't blame yourself,” Sam says.

“And it wasn't you, James. This.. This thing. It was a different person. It was Hydra.”

“No it wasn't and yes I could!” Bucky yelled.

“Cut off one head, two more appear,” Steve muttered softly, looking Bucky dead in the eye.

“But the people I killed, Steve. Those were real. I'm dangerous. I should leave. I'm going to leave. I've killed so many people. I've got to leave. I'll- I'll shoot myself. I'll kill myself, Steve, so that nobody else has to die.”

“Bucky, don't you dare, don't you even dare-”

“Steve. Calm down. Not helping him,” Bruce muttered out of the corner of his mouth.

“Bucky, that was not you. You are different now. The very fact that you are worried about this is showing me that you're different now. You're Bucky Barnes. The person they made you into, that wasn't you, Buck. Listen to me. You are James Buchanan Barnes. Buck. This is you.”

“I can't stay Steve,” Bucky whispered brokenly, a tear sliding down his cheek.

“Bruce, tell Stark and Natasha to call Director Fury. I don't care if there's no S.H.I.E.L.D. any more, I don't _care_ if he's _busy..._ Sam, give us a minute, okay?” Steve said, getting up from the couch to stand by Bucky. It wasn't until they'd gone that he sat down, patting Bucky's back gently.

Bucky flew his arms, one metal one flesh, around Steve, howling. Steve pulled Bucky close to him, sighing.

“I'm evil, Stevie,” Bucky sobbed. “I'm evil and there's no saving me.”

“No you're not. You're a good man, Buck. You stuck up for me, all those years. I was so stupid, never walked away from a fight. And then I went and walked myself into the biggest fight of all. And I was so lucky they chose me for that serum, Buck. But if they hadn't, I know for a fact we'd have both died out there. Not because you weren't strong enough. But because you'd have always died saving me. And come on- there's a guy in there who's lifespan is thousands of years, Buck. What's 70 years to him? And you know what? It doesn't have to be huge to us, either.”

Bucky looked up at Steve, his eyes wide and tearful.

“You can't forgive me for that. I won't let you, Steve. You can't do-”

“Barnes! Sgt Barnes, I think we need to have a little _talk,_ don't we?” and then Fury was in the door and his voice sounded cold and Bucky started visably shaking and Steve was set to make Fury totally blind this time. But then he smiled and extended a hand and his whole face looked warm like Steve had never seen him. “C'mon, pal. Why don't we go for a walk?”

 

It wasn't just 'a walk' that Nick and Bucky took. They were gone three whole hours, and Steve was starting to worry.

And in this case, worry means scream at Stark to do something if he's more than just a suit before proceeding to weep on Natasha's shoulder.

For an hour.

And a half.

Maybe two.

And then, when they finally, _finally_ walked back through that door, Steve watched Natasha stand up and swiftly knock Fury out.

“Buck?” Steve asked gently, ignoring the way Clint laughed and Tony raised his brow and Bruce swallowed hard and Sam probed Fury with his foot and Thor said 'I'm impressed! In which part of Midgard did you learn to fight in such a manner? We do not do that in Asgard'.

“Yeah,” Bucky replied, his voice sounding crackly and nervous.

“Want to step aside for a minute? Talk about it?”

“I'm not going anywhere, Steve, don't worry,” Bucky said, a grin emerging from nowhere on his face.

Steve grinned back, laughing slightly in his happiness, and leant forwards towards Bucky, reaching a hand out and touching his hair gently. He realised as soon as he did it that he was Checking if Bucky was real.

He was.

Suddenly Steve's arms were around Bucky's neck and he was kissing him and he hadn't kissed anybody like that since the 40s and it was Bucky, his Bucky, and he was safe, he was okay, he wasn't going anywhere.

And then he realised that Bucky hadn't remembered that yet.

And he was still standing in front of all the others.

And even Natasha didn't know about this just yet, for some reason.

“Well,” Tony said, breaking the silence. “This is interesting.”

 


	4. Chapter 4

He sighed. He couldn't sleep.

He had _really_ messed up earlier.

Staring up at the ceiling, Steve remembered what had happened after He'd kissed Bucky and God, it was so embarrassing and it wasn't fair on Bucky and...

 

“Well,” Tony said, breaking the silence. “This is interesting.”

“I- uh...” Steve muttered, stepping away from Bucky in surprise. His face almost instantly flushed scarlet.

“Stevie?” Bucky muttered, looking surprised. His flesh hand drifted up of its own accord to brush against his lips and he blushed slightly. Not nearly as much as Steve himself, though.

“You could have at least told me where I stood, Cap, in the mall,” Natasha said teasingly, smirking.

“Mall?” Clint asked, eyebrows raised.

“Had to remain unseen by Hydra operatives. I had to kiss him,” Natasha explained with a shrug.

“Public displays of affection make people extremely uncomfortable,” Bruce nodded, and Steve would have been surprised at him if he wasn't so busy being humiliated at himself.

“So, in the forties, did you two?..” Sam asked.

“Fondue?” Steve blurted out before he could help it.

“'Fondue'? Is this some Earthly term for 'relations'?” Thor asked, a puzzled frown on his face.

“Actually, that's just a type of food. I have no idea what he's talking about...” Tony replied.

That was when Fury came round.

At first, he looked... Well, pretty pissed at Natasha. But then he glanced up and saw Steve with his head in his hands, Natasha, Clint, Sam and Tony smirking, Bucky looking all curious all of a sudden, Bruce smiling, and Thor... Well, doing whatever he was doing. Something.

“What the _hell_ is going on here?” Fury asked.

“Bucky said he's staying and Steve assaulted his face,” Tony said, sounding like a child telling on someone on the playground. Steve groaned, wondering if it was actually possible for this situation to get any more awkward.

“He made out with him,” Natasha translated.

And yep. It could. Having your boss look at you like that, with a mix of surprise and humour and congratulations... That definitely made it worse.

“Widow, next time knock me out _after_ something interesting happens,” Fury muses and, with a nod at Bucky and a wink (no. Seriously. He _winked._ Fury winked) at Steve, he left.

“Oh my God,” Steve groaned to himself.

 

“Can't sleep?” a voice from the doorway distracted him from his thoughts.

“Nah,” he replied, sitting up in bed as Natasha walked into the room, switching the lamp on and closing the door behind her. Steve squinted in the light for a moment, but his eyes adjusted quickly.

Perks of being a genetically modified barely-human super-soldier.

“Are you alright?” she asked him, sitting down on the edge of his bed, forcing him to move over.

“Yeah. I just... Bit embarrassing, y'know?”

“Hmm.”

“I'm just worried about upsetting Bucky, making him uncomfortable, that sort of thing,” Steve admitted.

“Well, we started the day with him hiding in his room and at the end it was you,” Natasha teased, then her voice softened. “And at the start you were worried about him. This evening Bucky was pretty worried you were upset. I said to give you some space.”

“And then you broke your own rules and came in here to see me,” Steve nodded, looking serious for a moment before grinning at Natasha.

“Seriously, though, you could have at least given me a hint. 'Not exactly the word I'd use', what's that supposed to have meant, knowing what I do now?”

“That I was flattered and thought I should say something kind and probably guy-ish to hide the fact that I felt like a traitor to the boyfriend I thought I lost seventy years ago?” Steve grinned.

“Okay. I'll forward that to Clint then,” she said. “He was pretty pissed that _I'd_ kissed _you._ That's why I never mentioned it to him before now. He can be kinda protective. Not possessive, but just. You know. In this business... I come against a few weirdos. Clint tends to deal with those pretty quickly,” she rolled her eyes.

“So you and him, you're...”

“Fonduing, whatever that means?” Natasha grinned.

“Yep. About that...”

“Something to do with sex?”

“Yeah,” he admitted, flushing slightly at how blunt Natasha was.

“Please God don't tell me the story behind that,” she muttered.

“No, it's nothing.. Nothing..”

“Kinky?”

“No, Natasha, it's nothing 'kinky',” Steve sighed back.

“Yeah, me and Clint are together. And you and Bucky were?”

“Yes. He hasn't remembered any of that yet. I kinda didn't want to force him to, it's been best so far to let him remember everything in his own time...” Steve sighed.

“Well you screwed that one up then, Rogers,” Natasha teased.

“Yeah. Thanks, Nat.”

“Look, I just thought I'd say Bucky said he's going to come in here regardless of me telling him to leave you, and actually I'm starting to think he's kind of right to do that. Might want to get dressed, Captain,” she smiled gently at Steve. He expected her to go, but instead she got up and walked over to his chest of drawers. “What pyjama pants are you wearing, Rogers?” she asked.

“What?”

“Answer?”

“Uh... Black. Why-” Natasha opened a drawer and threw a white t-shirt towards him, leaving without a glance back.

 

“Hey, Buck,” Steve muttered, unable to look at his friend as Bucky entered the room.

“I remembered some things, Steve,” Bucky said casually, sitting down on Steve's bed. “Makes sense now why you never did mind that much about Helen...”

“Yeah?”

“'Bucky. It's okay. I can't say people will accept us because let's face it, they probably won't. But it's okay.' 'Wait. Stevie. Us?'” Bucky smirked to Steve, causing the super-soldier to chuckle.

“Is that actually exactly what I said?”

“Yep.”

“Wait... Give me a minute... and then... 'Oh.' 'Steve?' 'I, uh-' 'pal, you can talk to me...' 'I'm gay, Buck. And you can't tell anybody that, right, 'cause people will never accept it-' 'why would I? I've just told you that I like guys as well as dames, why would I judge you now?',” Steve finished for Bucky, realising suddenly that he could remember that conversation perfectly. Bucky nodded and grinned, leaning against Steve slightly.

“And then-”

“Bucky, believe me when I say I remember perfectly well,” Steve interrupted flushing slightly.

“I know, but it's fun!” Bucky teased him.

“It's crass,” Steve replied firmly, causing Bucky to pout slightly.

“Fine. And I remember our relationship. It's been a long, long time, Steve,” Bucky paused, causing Steve's throat to tighten in worry. “I missed you.”

Steve closed his eyes for what seemed like a split second before Bucky's lips were on his, returning his kiss from earlier. He kissed gently, quietly. Lovingly.

He kissed like he had seventy years to catch up on.

“I missed you too Bucky, God, I missed you so much,” Steve muttered, pulling away from Bucky's lips for a moment.

He smiled at the other man for a minute, taking in his features. He hadn't looked at Bucky like this since the 40's- he hadn't let himself. Bucky was so beautiful, so perfect.

He kissed him again.

 


	5. Chapter 5

“Right, boys, up you get, briefing from Fury at last. Some news or something, finally,” Tony yelled, barging into Steve's room and throwing open the blinds. Steve groaned in the sudden light and looked up, to see Tony by the window with Thor standing in the doorway. The Asgardian always looked odd dressed in Earth clothes, so Steve was almost relieved to see that he was wearing what Tony insisted on calling 'his drapes', even after all this time.

“Man of Iron, when is Nicholas due to arrive?” Thor asked Tony.

“Nick'll be here in half an hour, so these two better hurry up and _get off their loved-up arses,_ ” Tony muttered, glancing over to the bed again. Bucky, who had always been a deep sleeper, groaned as he began slowly to wake up. Steve gently untangled himself from Bucky's limbs. Barnes had also always been one to cuddle in his sleep.

Steve thought it was cute.

He reached out, pulling part of the duvet around himself but careful not to expose Bucky either, and grabbed his dressing gown. It had been bought as a joke by the other avengers at Christmas, a Captain America housecoat, but Bucky liked it, so recently he'd dragged it out from the back of his closet and started to wear it.

“Steve,” Bucky muttered, unaware of the others in the room in his sleep.

“Yeah, Buck? Time to get up now. Fury's coming over soon,” Bucky frowned at that and Steve smiled. “He hasn't changed his mind since yesterday, Buck, he still wants you here.”

“Do you?” Bucky asked semi-teasingly, and Steve blushed as Tony raised his eyebrow.

“Yeah, Buck. Of course I do,” he paused, catching himself on the edge of saying something, and realised his mouth had already started quietly forming the words. Thor was looking at him curiously now. He swallowed and said what he'd been about to say. “I love you, Bucky.”

Stark rolled his eyes and silently pretended to throw up, but Thor smiled at Steve, nodding slightly.

“Oh, do you, Stevie?” Bucky asked, and Steve could tell from his voice that he was smirking.

“Buck-” he muttered warningly, but it was too late, and he felt first a metal then a flesh arm make their way around Steve stomach. Steve knew without glancing round, or looking at Stark and Thor, that Bucky had left the duvet on the other side of the bed.

“Okay, I think we're just going to leave now...” Tony muttered, grinning at Steve, totally unembarrassed. Steve, however, was scarlet for Bucky's sake, Thor looked confused and somewhat surprised, and Bucky had squeaked and dived back under the duvet the moment he'd heard Tony's voice.

“We'll be out in 10 minutes,” Steve muttered, his eyes on the floor.

“Sure you will, Captain. See you soon,” Tony replied, mock saluting and heading towards the door.

“Man of Iron,” Thor asked, puzzled. “I am puzzled by-”

“Oh God- Right, if I say hammer will you know what I'm talking about because that's gonna make this a lot easier for both of us...” Tony replied, sounding reigned as they left the room. Steve groaned.

“You mean Mjolnir?” Thor asked, sounding defensive.

Steve was glad they were out of earshot- he had no desire to hear the rest of that conversation.

 

“Alright?” Natasha smirked, taking a seat alongside Steve.

“What did Stark say?” Steve groaned, rolling his eyes back.

“Oh, not much. Just that a) you're totally _finally_ wearing your Captain America housecoat and b) Barnes needs to learn not to sleep so deep,” Natasha grins and paused for a moment, “And that you two totally had sex last night. Of course. But I could have told him that.”

“Of course you could,” Bucky smiled from the other end of the couch, chuckling slightly. Steve rolled his eyes, his cheeks flushing slightly against his will.

“How much?” Steve asked.

“Sorry?” Natasha asked innocently.

“How much did you win in the bet?” Bucky guessed, and Steve nodded.

“What bet? There wasn't a bet, Steve...” Natasha frowned, looking perplexed.

“Yes there was, how much did you win?” Steve asked, smiling just slightly.

“Okay. I won $30. So did Tony and Sam. Everyone said they'd pay 10 to any who were on the correct side. So that's Bruce, Thor and Clint who clearly haven't spent any time whatsoever around you two,” Natasha teased gently, and Steve was just about to reply when the sound of someone clearing their throat came and they all looked up guiltily to see Fury watching them with a bemused expression.

“Director Fury, exactly how much of that conversation did you hear?” Steve asked anxiously.

“Oh, I'd say enough...” Fury smiled just slightly. “Congratulations, by the way. Soldier, you feelin' better today?” he asked, moving on quickly enough to re-assure Steve that he was totally comfortable with the situation and in fact pleased for them.

“Yeah,” Bucky smiled sincerely, “I'm good.”

“Look, I'll arrange what we talked about, okay? For now, talk to Clint, won't you?” Fury asked, and when Bucky nodded he moved on.

“Counselling, and Clint because of the Loki stuff,” Bucky muttered out of the corner of his mouth, and Steve nodded, kicking himself internally for not thinking of that earlier.

 

“Team? Shall we begin?” Fury asked, in a voice that said 'sit down, or I'll have Sam throw you out that window faster than if you were a Hydra agent'.

Or maybe that was just the way Steve thought of Nick.

Probably the way Steve thought of Nick.

Clint made his way over from where he'd been in the kitchen and handed Natasha a bowl of ice-cream casually. Steve smiled slightly- he could see it now, and wondered how the hell he hadn't noticed before. The guy was first to defend Natasha, first to assist her with anything, first to give her a hug or make her laugh when she had a bad day. They were the most adorable couple the tower had ever seen. Even if Natasha would probably say that that title belonged to Steve and Bucky.

Natasha smiled at Clint and stood up to go and sit on the other sofa with him. Steve smiled after them and Bucky raised his eyebrows questioningly at Steve, who replied with a nod.

Fury tapped his foot slightly as he waited for Natasha and Clint to settle down, but didn't say anything.

“Team, as you know, S.H.I.E.L.D. is compromised. Agents like Maria Hill helped to salvage what we could. In this room, there are three heroes from that battle: Captain America, Black Widow, and Falcon,” Nick began, nodding at each. Bucky swallowed uncomfortably at the mention and Steve squeezed his arm reassuringly. “However, their efforts were not enough to prevent the Hydra agents you have all been informed of from destroying us. So now we face a decision. A big one,” Nick paused, looking all eight of them in the eye individually and holding their gaze for a long moment. “I and a few high-status agents have been working for months. And we are now ready to inform you that the new S.H.I.E.L.D. is going to begin with this- the Avengers. Our most important project. You guys will be the first signs of life from S.H.I.E.L.D. as far as the public know. There will be a new name... But I'm leaving that to the other agents. Women tend to be better at that sort of thing,” he looked knowingly at Steve and Bucky, and Steve nodded and smiled. “After all, Agent Carter was the one to name S.H.I.E.L.D. initially... Does anyone have any questions?”

“Yeah,” Sam smirked. “When do we start?”

Nick nodded back at Falcon, an almost menacing smile on his face. “As soon as we're needed, agent. For now, we wait. There's no need to cause uproar- because there will _be_ uproar, when we come back. But we can handle that. We wait until the world needs us.”

“Just like old times,” Bruce muttered, shaking his head slightly as he smiled. Bucky and Sam exchanged a glance and Steve remembered that this was their turn now, that they were the new kids on the block now. Sam couldn't wait to get out there, prove himself. And Steve knew that Bucky was itching to start, too. In time. He'd have his moment. He'd have many, in fact. In time.

“Now then, team, does anyone else have anything they want to say? No? Good. I'm still damn busy at the moment, no thanks to Alexander Pierce,” he muttered, and Steve tightened his grip on Bucky at the mention of That Man. 'He's gone now,' he mouthed. 'He can't hurt you, Buck.' “I'll-”

“Wait,” Natasha said, standing up. “I have an announcement to make,” when Clint stood up too, she smiled and let him embrace her, her face softening for a moment.

“Both of us do,” he said.

 


	6. Chapter 6

Stark rolled his eyes, “Hurry up, me and Banner need to get back to the lab, Tash.”

“Hey, cut it out. Let her talk,” Steve half-snapped back at him. He was always quick to defend the other avengers if anyone, even one of them, made a comment, but since the events that led to S.H.I.E.L.D.'s demise, he was particularly protective over Natasha.

Natasha smiled at him as if to say it was okay, but still went without speaking.

“Natasha?” Bucky muttered gently, smiling over-enthusiastically. Steve grinned and poked him in the (non-bionic) arm for his sweet supportiveness.

“Clint, man, you wanna tell us?” Sam probed gently.

“Nat's having a baby and we found out a few weeks ago and we've been for tests and things a few times and-” Clint paused for breath, then it dawned on him that he'd just blurted it all out to the group at a barely audible pace. It was clear from the expression on Natasha's face that they'd had a plan for how, exactly, to announce this to the group, but she didn't seem as though she minded that much.

Which was probably lucky for Clint, really.

“I didn't quite catch every word of that, would you two like to say it again?” Steve lied politely.

“Uhm... Okay, three weeks ago I decided, for a couple of reasons, to go to a doctors with Clint and have a pregnancy test done- properly and everything. So, that test came back positive and I also bought a few shop-bought tests, to be sure. It really shouldn't affect my work abilities for at least a month and even then I hope to keep working as long as I can and come back to work as soon as I can after I've had the baby,” Natasha said, sincerely, then grinned suddenly and hugged Clint. It was out of character, almost child-like and oh-so-very-cute. But Steve didn't care about that.

“What? Working? Natasha, it's dangerous enough, this kind of work, let alone with a pregnancy slowing you down. You should stop now and- and do some office work or something, seriously. You shouldn't put yourself at risk like that!” Steve insisted.

“Okay, if grandpa can just calm down, I think your false teeth just fell out,” Tony smirked. That smirk was wiped off his face a moment later by an angry-looking Bucky and a metal arm at his neck.

“If Steve's interested in Natasha's safety that's a good thing, Stark. And nobody's going to be looking at you for advice about this so you might wanna shut up while this is the topic we're on unless you wanna look like an idiot,” Bucky half-growled at Tony before releasing him, feeling Sam pulling him back gently but firmly.

“Uhm...” Bruce cleared his throat uncomfortably, and Bucky retreated back to his seat meekly, feeling guilty for the possibility that he almost brought on a Hulk episode. “Congratulations. Both of you.”

“Thank you,” Clint smiled, holding Natasha protectively against him.

“My congratulations, Spider and Bird. My lady, Jane, was just telling me the other day that she would have an interest in children...”

“Oh my God, please don't tell us we're gonna have tiny Norse Gods running around the place...” Natasha muttered, and Thor chuckled.

In between the mix of mild violence and excitement, Fury was just sat still, looking slightly bemused. Steve smiled and made his way carefully over to him.

“Okay, Director Fury?”

“Cap, just call me Nick,” Fury- Nick smiled.

“Then call me Steve.”

“Rogers.”

“Steve.”

“Okay, Steve. Just a bit... I don't visit for months and I turn up and one day Barnes is suicidal, the next he's sleeping with you and looking at you like you're his world, and later that day my most cold-hearted agent is not only pregnant but pretty obviously in love with my best sharp-shooter,” Fury looks Steve in the eye and they both chuckle. “Is every day like this here?”

“Hmm... Give or take a little...” Steve grins, then his face softens sincerely. “Does Bucky really look at me like that?”

“Yes he does, Steve.”

“Do you think... He actually. Y'know, really loves me?” Steve asked, blushing even as he said the words.

“Yes I do. Look, I know it only seems to the other people here that it's only been a day and suddenly you're like that, but this was going on before, wasn't it? And I think you kissing him unlocked those memories,” Fury smiled and Steve blushed even harder, smiling. “Now usually I'd have said let him find out on his own, but I think in this case it was probably for the best.”

“It's just a shame that... Y'know. Well, this is gonna sound really dumb and all-”

“No it won't so go on.”

“You're my boss-”

“I don't think ordinary bosses come to their staff just before they die, I don't think you'd have watched my surgery if I was just your boss, and I don't think we'd have had half of this conversation and probably a lot of others wouldn't have happened either if I was just your boss. I might not fully trust you but I sure consider you a friend. I ain't got many of those, you know. So. What were you gonna say?”

“Really? I'm your friend?”

“What were you gonna say, Steve?”

“It's nothing-” he paused. “It's just that... Well, we always wanted kids. And. I mean obviously that's not really an option for us, not a biological child, and Bucky grew up in the orphanage helping the kids in there, so you know...”

“I'll see what I can do, Steve. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'd better go congratulate those two before I go,” and with that Nick got up, leaving Steve utterly shocked by... Well, 99% of their conversation, really.

“I heard every word,” Bucky said quietly, appearing beside Steve. “I'm pretty sure he'll keep his word, you know Steve. It might not seem possible but... Stark's technology is amazing. Most of the planet doesn't know it exists, so who knows...” Steve chanced a glance at Bucky and only saw the hopeful looking on his face for a split second before he hugged him so hard he almost forgot how to breathe.

“I love you, Buck,” Steve muttered into Bucky's hair, smiling softly.

“Steve... You can let me go... And I love you too, but you don't have to make up for seventy years in one day, I know you love me. I remember,” Bucky smiled, and Steve grinned too, chuckling slightly. “And we'd better properly congratulate Nat and Clint... No comments about her work okay, it's her choice.”

“Okay...” Steve smiled and loosened his grip on Bucky as he waited for Fury to go so they could go and speak to the pair.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It might take me a while to update because I'm writing one long chapter to finish this with. Don't worry, I'm probably (definitely) going to do a part II and more than likely a Clintasha fic as well... Maybe even a Thor one (you'll see why next chapter)- let me know what you think, comments are always appreciated xx


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Okay so since this is the final chapter, it's a LOT longer than the others. I would have liked to write even more but in the end I got down what I had to say for this and I was happy so here it is. This is the fluffiest thing in the world, I tried for some light humor too... I hope you like it! :)

Seven months.

Seven months before they heard a thing about what Fury had said.

Steve had been starting to lose faith in Nick's promise. Even Bucky, who'd spoken frequently and warmly about the prospect, was starting to talk about it less and shift uncomfortably whenever the subject came up.

He sighed. It didn't matter if they didn't have kids of their own, not really. They could adopt- Bucky had always thought that'd be almost as good an idea, considering where he grew up.

But still, Fury could have at least either followed through with his offer in some way or not made it at all. Steve had genuinely confided in him.

He supposed that's why Fury always says not to trust anybody.

Oh well. None of that mattered today.

Tonight.

Right now in this restaurant.

 

It had taken long enough just to get Bucky to change out of jeans and take his hair out of its bun on the nape of his neck (after much debate about long hair vs short- 'it reminds me of Them, Buck' 'it's my hair, Steve, and I like it this way. It looks better'-, they had both agreed to keep it long-ish... as long as Steve could trim it at least a _little_ bit shorter and keep it looking presentable).

“Why?” Bucky had complained.

“We're going out to dinner.”

“Somewhere fancy enough that'd I'd look weird like this?”

“That's most restaurants, Buck,” Steve teased lightly, moving around Bucky as he got ready to go out.

“Fine. What do you want me to wear?” Bucky'd asked, rolling off the bed lazily- they were between missions and had spent most of their day lounging around the tower. However, when Jane and Darcy had come over and the intern had insisted on dragging everyone into helping chose baby things on Etsy for Jane's four-months-pregnant twin bump, Bucky had gotten bored and Steve secretly jealous and they'd shrunk quietly away to their room for a movie.

“Here,” Steve replied, throwing dark blue jeans, a waistcoat and a blazer at Bucky.

“Stevie, I don't wanna wear those, come on,” Bucky groaned.

“I'll make you wear a tie if you don't shut up and get dressed,” Steve growled, but his eyes were gentle.

“Steve, you're not good at being aggressive,” Bucky smiled lazily, taking the pile of clothes and standing up slowly.

“I'm _Captain America!”_

Bucky didn't grace that with a response, just chuckled.

“What?” Steve asked indignantly.

“Nothin', Captain. So... Where are you taking me?”

 

In the restaurant, Steve chewed his lip nervously. He had to say what he'd brought Bucky here for, now. He'd just choked down three very pricey courses. He knew it was good food- he'd been before. He only had nerves to put it down to.

“You okay, Stevie?” Bucky muttered across the table, looking concerned.

“Yeah, I'm... I'm. Good. Everything's... Everything's dandy and I'm... I'm totally not nervous at all and I'm totally fine,” Steve blurted out, then immediately turned red. “Okay. I'm not. Can- can I ask you something, Buck?”

“Sure. Go ahead!” Bucky replied, smiling uncertainly.

In the end, Steve couldn't say the speech he'd prepared. He couldn't get the words out. He choked on them as though they were glass (or perhaps the crème brûlée he'd just eaten). So instead he reached into his jacket pocket and tentatively slid the black velvet box across the table to Bucky.

_ Who's strong and brave here to save the American way- _

“Jesus,” Steve muttered, grabbing his phone from his pocket and quickly hanging up. “Bucky, I am so sorry and... Did you change my ringtone?” he asked, and suddenly they were both laughing in a way that was way too inappropriate for such a restaurant.

“Maybe I did, maybe I didn't,” Bucky grinned. “And Steven Rogers, you soppy punk, of course I'll marry you. I love you, Stevie, you don't have to be so darn nervous!”

Steve practically flung himself across the table to hug Bucky. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a waitress frowning and looking as if she was about to come over. Then another joined her, muttering something in her ear and holding a hand in front of her as if to stop her. Steve nodded in thanks and released Bucky.

“I love you too, Buck,” Steve said... And was once again interrupted by his mobile.

“You have one new message,” the phone said as he pressed it to his ear. He mouthed the word 'voice-mail' to Bucky who silently replied 'answer it'.

“Uh, hi Steve. It's me. Natasha. I don't want you to... Panic... Or to, ugh, leave your dinner. But... ugh.. I just thought I'd let you know that... I'm having the baby and... If you want to visit later... You're on the hospital... List and the room number is... Clint what's my room number? Okay, uhm, the room number is two-oh-seven but it won't be ages 'cause they let me in before they usually do 'cause Avengers and all that and ugh... I gotta go now, Steve.”

“Bucky? We gotta go. I'm sorry. Hospital. Now. Nat's having the baby. He-hello? Can we pay please?” Steve called across the room, and one of the waitresses scurried over. Avengers perks.

Engagement perks.

 

“How long's she been... Y'know. That,” Steve muttered, taking a seat alongside some of the others.

“Having a baby? About an hour. You wanted a baby, didn't you? You know it'd be like that, right?” Darcy responded, glancing up to check the nurse at the desk wasn't looking before stuffing a handful of crisps in her mouth.

“I think she's doing pretty well, actually,” Bruce muttered, and Jane turned visibly green.

“Or... Maybe not...” Bucky muttered.

“No, she is, she's doing... Well. Very well,” Jane replied, looking flustered.

“Jane, do not worry. When it is time for Arndis and Eirik to be born, we will return to Asgard,” Thor reassured Jane.

“Yeah, I don't _actually_ remember Jane agreeing to those names,” Darcy pointed out, pulling a face.

“No,” Jane replied, “I haven't.”

“Ellie and Thomas, wasn't it?” Bucky asked her.

“Well, we have plenty of time to decide...” Jane said, raising her eyebrows doubtfully.

“Magnus? Atla?” Thor proposed, sighing. Apparently, name-choosing and baby shopping for the yet-to-be-born boy-girl twins was enough to wear down even a God of thunder.

“Those would be workable,” Jane replied, and Steve noticed a slight smile of relief grace her expression.

“How long do you think it will be before Natasha's had the baby?” Steve asked, addressing Bruce.

“Well... It varies a lot, but it could be four hours...” he replied, “Or it could be 48.”

“Right... So we're here for a while then...” Bucky smiled and turned to Steve, a question plaguing his face. Steve nodded, and Bucky slipped the ring box out from his jacket pocket where he'd stowed it for safe-keeping.

“Guys, can I uh, can I make an announcement?” Steve asked nervously. Every head in the waiting room shot up, including the elderly couple in the corner and the bored looking nurses who were reading gossip magazines in the nurse station. “Okay, well.. Over dinner today, I asked Bucky to marry me.”

The group stared at him for a minute, the couple quietly clapping for a second and the nurses looking surprised because _Captain America_ just announced his engagement. But the others were quiet.

“And what did he say?” Darcy asked innocently. “What?” she asked when Jane elbowed her in the ribs.

“Oh, I said I'd never marry the skinny little kid from Brooklyn, Darcy... I said yes to him, course I did. Didn't I, punk?” Bucky smiled, staring at Steve as if nobody else was even in the room and wrapping an arm around his waist.

Darcy choked on her cheese and onion.

 

“Guys... Would some of you like to come in? A couple at a time. Nat said Steve and Bucky first,” Clint said gently and the team snapped to attention.

It had been eight hours that they'd waited. Bruce had fallen asleep and Sam had arrived an hour ago and immediately did the same. Stark had turned up five minutes ago with his head buried in a manual. They were surprised he came at all. Darcy had pulled a paperback out of her bag and started to read. She'd given Steve and Bucky a book too, _P.S. I love you,_ and they read over each others shoulders. Steve had cried once.

It had to be Jane and Thor who spent those hours the best, with Thor actually taking Jane back to Asgard for a while to speak with his father or something about something for something. Steve never asked the details. All that God stuff still freaked him out. There was only meant to be one God, and he wasn't supposed to dress like that.

“Us? Is she sure?” Steve asked, standing up.

“Yeah, she's sure. Wanted to talk to you about dinner- pretty sure she knows something I don't,” Clint said, swinging on the door frame. He had so much energy, it was totally impossible to tell that he'd just helped a woman give birth for nine hours.

“Yeah, she probably does,” Bucky grinned lopsidedly and stood up, long legs towering over the chairs. It was weird to think that Steve was actually three inches taller than Bucky- he'd spent most of his life being half a foot shorter.

“C'mon, Buck,” Steve muttered, stepping into the room. Natasha smiled weakly, a cot set up next to her bed, but a baby in her lap.

“This is Nicola Mai Barton,” She said, staring at the baby proudly. “Congratulations, boys.”

“So you did know.”

“Well, of course,” Natasha replied, jokingly offended.

“Congrats to you two, too,” Steve said sincerely.

“Hmm... Tired. Tell me about it,” Natasha said, frowning slightly as she propped herself up in bed, moving gently to accommodate Nicola's delicate weight.

“Well,” Bucky grinned. “Steve took me out for a _delicious_ dinner in a fancy restaurant. Little speech prepared an' all, too. But he got kinda nervous, didn't you?”

“Sort of,” Steve muttered, blushing but smiling.

“But I'd say handin' me a box with a ring in it gave me the idea pretty quick.”

“And then you called,” Steve chuckled.

“Sorry,” Natasha smirked. “Go on.”

“Well, we came here as soon as we got the voice-mail, Nat. Told the others- had plenty of time to explain and all out there,” Steve replied, smiling gently.

Clint had slipped out at some point to talk to the others, but then he appeared at the door. Behind him stood Director Fury, looking almost gentle holding flowers and a soft-looking pink bear. Clint walked back in then, leading Fury inside.

“Nick,” Natasha said, smiling confusedly.

“Hi,” he replied, talking quietly. “I brought you these,” he gestured to the flowers. “And I though baby...”

“Nicola,” Clint interjected. “Nicola, and her middle name's Mai.”

“Baby Nicola might like this,” he said, bringing the soft toy over to Natasha, then placing it on the bedside cabinet as an afterthought. The flowers were already in a cheap plastic vase, although Steve didn't doubt that there'd be a vase kicking around somewhere for the famous Avengers.

“Thank you,” Natasha said softly, her voice surprised but pleased.

“What? I got kids, y'know. And grand-kids,” Fury said, half-defensive.

“You do?” Clint asked.

“Hell, yeah. Children are nice. They're _innocent,_ and you can trust 'em; they won't go spreadin' your secrets with enemy operations,” he replied sincerely. “Now, I'm gonna come back here and stay for a bit, but first, I need to talk to there two pretty urgently. Why don't you let Jane in; she was lookin' pretty eager to see all three of you out there.”

Both Steve and Bucky frowned quizzically but followed Fury out anyway. Their curiosity grew tenfold when they saw Nick gesture to Tony, who nodded and followed them out.

 

“Look, I'm gonna cut straight to it, Stark's been experimentin' with the samples you gave and some others over the last seven months and findin' a safe way for them to produce a baby with the DNA from two males and be grown to term, since obviously neither of you can deliver it,” Fury said.

“Basically, I've managed to warp one of the DNA samples from each pair in such a way that it can act as female cells whilst retaining it's structure and data... I've also designed a safe environment mimicking the womb for the baby to be reared in. I can go into more detail with the science, of course...” Tony said, smirking at Steve and half-expecting his sarcasm to be returned.

“Oh my... Oh my God. Buck? Bucky did you hear that? We can- we can have a kid!” Steve half-gasped half-yelled. “Tony, are you sure? It's possible? It will work?”

“Yes, I'm sure. Your samples were actually the easiest to work with- you both have quite a high sperm count, if you didn't know, and many fewer denatured sperm than the average male,” that made Steve turn pure red from the tips of his ears to his collar bones, but Bucky grinned and shrugged the comment off, not too bothered about Nick's presence.

“So, we can have a baby. A child, and it'll be healthy and things,” Bucky breathed.

“Yep. Actually, I can monitor it more closely during pregnancy, meaning it's statistically far less likely to have any disabilities or diseases,” Tony said proudly.

“That's... Thank you, Tony. Thank you so much. And Nick, you too. I can't- thank you!” Steve gushed, grin splitting his face in two.

“Sure beats his dad's flying cars, huh, Stevie?” Bucky whispered in his ear.

“Beats any technology on this damn planet, Buck,” Steve replied, flinging his arms around his fiancé's neck.

They were going to have a baby.

 _They_ were going to have _a baby!_

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's it for this but there's going to be Clint/Natasha/Nicola and Steve/Bucky/their baby and possibly Thor/Jane/Magnus Atla (comment your thoughts on that) are going to get their own fics (at some stage or another), I promise! :) Please feel free to drop a comment, I love reading what you all have to say!


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